This Face
by Rae TB
Summary: Tala has trouble sleeping one night only to have a familiar face come to his door...a lost love named Brooklyn. TalaBrooklyn. Sequel to That Face and The Cruelest Joke.


It was just one of those nights...

The kind that made me rethink getting up the next morning.

Of course, in order to wake up in the morning, that requires getting sleep at night...something that was currently eluding me.

I tossed, I turned, I thrashed.

It was no use; I was getting no sleep that night.

Not so long as there was no one else to share this bed with me.

I sighed sadly as I kicked the confining sheets off of my body and went to the kitchen to make myself something to drink. The floorboards creaked eerily under my weight causing me to glare at them in annoyance. I hated when I had to walk from one room of my place of residence to another. It just reminded me how silent my house was...how empty my house was. My shadow played across the ground causing me to see things as my eyes strained to focus on the dim light streaming from the kitchen. It was like a small beacon of hope in a seemingly never ending hallway of obscurity.

Thunder cracked through the still night air like a whip causing me to glance up temporarily and look outside. A heavy downpour rained against my house each droplet hitting the roof with a resounding splat before rolling off and dropping downward into a pool of liquid. They cascaded toward the earth like tears, like the ones I had caused you to shed. Normally the sound of rain relaxed me, but not tonight. This weather was exactly like it had been when we had first gotten together and exactly as you must have felt when we broke up. A sliver of light was thrown across the black night sky, the heavens obviously seeking vengeance of some sort. It was as though the lightening that streaked across the atmosphere was created by Zeus himself.

**Zeus**...

Your bitbeast.

Perhaps, he was the one seeking vengeance.

I shut my eyes as I grabbed a glass from the cupboard, a chill shooting through my body. My blue eyes snapped open and looked around as though expecting to see someone...as though expecting to see _you_. Your face still ran through my memory, haunting me at every turn. I shook my head and silently scolded myself before filling my glass with water and ice cubes that were as cold as my soul. I tried to ignore this god awful feeling, but both it and your memory wouldn't go away. Something was slowly crawling down my throat and heading to settle in my stomach, a sinking feeling rushing through me.

I wondered where you were, and what you were doing. I wondered if you were okay and if Garland was treating you alright. The thought of him holding you tightly...inhaling your heavenly scent, cradling your divine being, touching the face that once belonged to me was all too much for me. My grip on my cup increased, my muscles tensing as I bared my teeth at the empty room. A loud rapping noise broke me out of my trance as I put my water down. The sound had come out of nowhere and had broken through both the noise outside, and the solitude inside. It took me a minute to figure out what it was; flesh hitting wood. Someone was knocking.

I don't even remember walking toward the sound, but within no time I was in front of the door, swinging it open. My heart had been pounding wildly for reasons unbeknownst to me as my breathing picked up, coming out in short gasps. The unbeknownst reasons for my odd behavior all cleared up at that moment however as I laid my unworthy eyes upon you. Shock spread through me as I struggled to breathe.

And then it stopped.

It _all_ stopped.

The thoughts running through my head, the hurt that had been coursing through me, my heartbeat, all the noise around us...everything stopped and faded away until there was nothing but you, and me.

You were angelic. Water fell down your ginger hair and streamed down your face, shoulders, chest, _everything_. You shivered and held yourself your teeth chattering as your clothes clung to you. Despite how wet you were it was obvious you had been crying. It didn't matter though; you were still every bit as stunning as a diamond and every bit as breathtaking as a sunrise. I wondered why you were there, if something terrible had happened and anger filled me at the thought of Garland wronging you. He didn't deserve you...neither of us truly deserved you.

"May I came in?" you whispered.

Psh...

Like you even had to ask.

I nodded numbly, stepping aside and allowing you in, shutting the door behind us. I took your hand in mine, leading you down the hallway in silence. You jumped slightly at the creaking floorboards, evidently every bit as uptight as I was. The house we had shared was set up just as you had left it to your obvious surprise as I grabbed you some towels, and a change of clothes. Not my clothes, but yours. When you ran out, you had left all your belongings here and I hadn't disturbed them in the slightest since then. "Thank you..." you sniffed as I nodded and left our bedroom or rather, our _former_ bedroom to allow you to change. It wasn't even my bedroom anymore; I had refused to sleep in there since your absence. I stayed outside the door, waiting for you. I wouldn't risk letting you go again.

You came out a moment later, looking more lost and hurt than ever before. Apparently, that time spent alone in our ex-room had given you a chance to think...Thinking never was a good thing. The hurt you were radiating was too much for me to take, "Something wrong?" I whispered. You looked up at me, but said nothing, and so I continued. "You look a little lost," I commented. At that you smiled sadly, wiping your eyes.

"Why do you care?" you questioned, your voice cracking. It was amazing how it still sounded every bit as pure, clear, and heavenly regardless of that.

"Just an observation..." I smirked as you took a single step forward, stopping in front of me.

"Go observe elsewhere..." you said, starting to get into this as much as I was. Cautiously, I reached out and stroked your cheek, marveling at how soft it was; like roses and cream blended together.

"Naww...I think I like the view from right here," I flirted, pulling you into my arms. You shivered slightly and tensed before relaxing against me. "So...why don't you tell me what's on your mind?...Or do I have to find a different way to get the truth out of you?" I grinned as you looked up at me in a lost and alone fashion.

"It doesn't matter anyway...I don't matter..." you croaked, looking downward only to have me tilt your chin back up.

"Now...that's no way to talk about yourself," I said, poking your nose, a short laugh escaping your throat. I bit my lip, and sighed contently, "You're gorgeous..." I whispered.

"You're just saying that," you mumbled.

"I wouldn't lie to you..." I stated as you quickly became edgy. Maybe saying that had been a mistake...I had obviously touched a nerve.

"Don't play with my heart Tala; it's been toyed with enough today," you shouted, pushing away from me.

"What happened?" I muttered, trying to follow our old script. I was surprised how easy it was to recall...word for word. I wondered if you thought that too.

"My boyfriend...he...he..." you trailed.

"You mean Garland?" I scowled. I still hated saying that vile name especially when it was related to your blissful one.

"I broke up with him...and now..." you trailed.

"Now you have nowhere to go," I finished as you nodded. "Well, now you do...you can stay with me," I stated, holding my air supply. This was it...the moment of truth. Would you say yes? Would you come back to me?

"I'd like that," you breathed. "I would like that...a lot..." a tear rolled down your cheek once more as you dove forward, pressing our lips together. Goosebumps shot through my body as I eagerly claimed your mouth, my tongue running along your bottom lip. Your taste was amazing...the feel of your lips on mine was amazing..._you_ were and are to this day, amazing.

"I missed this..." I mumbled when we pulled back, my fingers brushing against your features.

"What specifically did you miss?" you questioned with a soft smile. The one I had desired so very much...

"This...you...your face...this face," I muttered, playing with your ear lobe as you chuckled slightly.

"This face...will always be yours..." you assured. "I will never leave you again Tala...I was miserable without you."

I nodded sympathetically as my eyes swept over you. You did look rather emaciated...A look of worry instantly swept over my features and you flinched slightly, glancing away. "Brooklyn...please...look at me..." I pleaded as you glanced back.

"I'm sorry..." you muttered as I looked at you in confusion.

"You're sorry?...you didn't do anythi-" I started, not expecting the outburst that followed.

"I should have let you explain!" you cried. "I shouldn't have left and gotten back together with Garland. I never even loved him!" you sniffed, shaking. "And then tonight...he wanted...he wanted me to give something I wasn't ready to..." you choked as I growled, holding you closer and more possessively. "I'm sorry..." you croaked. "I let you down..."

It was so typical of you to blame yourself, even when you had done nothing wrong. Garland was the one to wrong you...I was the one to wrong you. The only thing that comforted me was that he hadn't taken your virginity away from you. That would have annihilated me.

"Brooklyn..." I repeated, simply enjoying saying your name. "What must I say to get you to understand?" I sighed as you blinked. "Here..." I said slowly, taking your hand in mine, placing it in my palm. "When we first met...this was always sweaty with apprehension..." I paused and moved your hand to my head. "Whenever you were away from me after that...this always raced with thoughts of you..." I breathed, moving your hand to my eyes. "Whenever you came were by my side once more, these were capable of only seeing you," I smiled, placing your hand by my ears. "These could hear only you..." I sighed putting your fingers over my throat. You looked at me in wonder, awaiting me to continue. "This couldn't speak anything but your name," I smirked and opened my mouth, trying to put your finger on my tongue.

"ICK! Tala, I am not touching that!" you glared as I chuckled.

"You didn't seem to mind it trying to shove its way down your throat a few minutes earlier," I stated.

"TALA!" you shouted, covering your face in embarrassment as I began to laugh lightly, stopping to move your arms and look at you, _really_ look at you.

You were beautiful.

"Anyway, this was always tied in a knot..." I stated, settling for licking your cheek instead. You rolled your eyes and sighed but smiled.

"And this?" you asked, putting your hand over my heart as I froze. How it was possible for my heart to stop beating and restart when you did that, I'll never know.

"This..." I paused, my hand resting on top of yours. "Always beat just a little faster when you were around..." I supplied, keeping your palm there as you sniffed. You had turned me into such a sap, and I loved you for it.

"Oh...Tala..." you muttered, shutting your eyes before resting my hands on your face.

"This face was always lit up with joy whenever you were around. This face was streaked with tears when I was away, this face has eyes only for you," you stated as I smiled.

"And this face..." I continued, touching our noses together. "Is the only face that I want, now...and forever."

A smile lit up your features and you were on the verge of tears once more, but this time they would be ones of joy.

And you could be assured that I would make sure that this face would never have to feel the sting of those tears again.

Because this face belongs to _me_ once more.

Because this...

is the face that I _love_.

* * *

...I can't believe...I wrote fluff. o.o;...is there some kind of cure for that?...Man, that was like...really fluffy. XD I miiiiight do something from Brooklyn's POV, or Garland's POV, maybe even Bryan's...don't you want to know what happens to Garland and Bryan after all? XD

Why, of course you do!...Humor me people. T.T

Oh well, hope someone reading this enjoyed that!


End file.
